Summary ~ Team 7 comes across a rare entity one day while out on a D-ranked mission. What will happen when they are put in charge of a young demon? With so few left in the world, he will become a prize to many ninja looking for a powerful weapon. And what are his links to the Kyuubi?
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"Kakashi-sensei why are we the ones who always have to catch this cat!" Sakara whined into the radio, jumping from one tree limb to another with a single effortless bound. "Why can't another team take this mission for once!"
Kakashi blinked in a bored manner as he watched his team desperately running through the trees to catch the illusive feline. He inwardly laughed at the tone his only female member used, knowing all too well how irritating the D-ranked missions could be. But it was an initiation that all prospective ninja go through, so he ignored the comment.
Sakura glared at the silence, but rolled her eyes and kept her pace even as she grew closer to the cat, her teammates close to her side. They planned to confront the animal on a three point basis and block all escape routes. But it wouldn't surprise her if the cat managed to get through, seeing as it had so many times before.
"It's direction has changed. Head west." An emotionless voice cut through the radio.
"...Zzz..." A soft hum came from the radio, an acknowledgment made by the most stoic teammate caused by the clicking of the radio's speaking button, but not voicing any words.
"Roger that!" Sakura answered, changing her direction with a carefully placed turn. This was the most pointless of missions, in her opinion. But it was a mission, and as a ninja she had to follow orders, and at least she knew nothing dangerous was going to happen.
" Rrrr...arr..." A low guttural growling noise broke Sakura's train of thought. With a questioning look in her eyes she stopped in her pursuit and listened at the seemingly quiet forest. Her eyes slowly scanning the immediate area for any shift or movement in the trees. It doesn't look like anything close by. Sakura flashed her eyes around the area one more time. Should I radio this? The pink haired kunoichi made a quick decision to let the noise pass and continued with the mission. But she did not make it more than a few feet before she heard the growl again.
"Grrraahh!" This time the noise was louder and had a twist of emotion in it, as if it was in pain. And it was loud enough to halt the female ninja, making her whip her head around in the direction it seemed to have orientated. It sounded so close, and yet her eyes saw nothing. Oh wait! Sakura thought with a mental slap to the head. I'm in the trees, so the noise could be coming from the ground! Sakura leaped down from her branch, making a small "oof" as she landed. She quickly searched the ground for any enemies, and of course, the source of the strange growl. It was quiet once again with no sign of any disturbances. Wait why is it so quiet? This is a forest...so where are the birds?
"Arr...grrrr." Sakura jumped at the sound, her hand subconsciously reaching for her kunai, but managed to calm herself enough to locate what direction it came from. With a deep breath she pushed back a few bushes, looking behind trees, and searching the ground for any sign of footprints or, by the way the voice sounded, blood. But after a few minutes of pushing around bushes and no noise, Sakura was about to give up and rejoin her team.
"Grrrahhh! Ah! Grrrrrr!" Sakura felt her skin crawl at how close the cries felt, it was a being that seemed to writhing in agony or possibly even dying. She dashed after the growls, this time at full speed, wanting to find the source before it could end. Jumping over a small set of shrubs, Sakura landed in a bright clearing, and she wasn't alone.
"Chhh...Sakura, where are you?" The emotionless voice broke the eerie silence that suffocated the forest. "We caught the cat so we're heading back."
Sakura ignored the calls for a moment. She could barely even breathe, so the thought of speaking into the radio to alert her team was beyond her. Her hands shook slightly, but she pulled them into fists to calm herself. And with a shake of her head she walked into the clearing.
"Sakura?" Kakashi's voice spoke through the radio. But it did not register in the pink haired kunoichi's mind, because as she crept into the clearing she could hear a strained panting.
"...Sakura." Her last teammate tried.
"...I'm here." Sakura finally answered. Her eyes wide as she came upon the source of the cries. "You guys might want to come see this."
"...See what?" Kakashi asked, his usually casual tone laced in seriousness.
Sakura bent down to her knees, not knowing what to do, and tried once again to regain her breathing. Her hand reached out, but flinched and retracted.
"...I don't know."
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Small first Chapter, but will get longer. Should I continue?